climax

1the most exciting or important event or point in timeto come to/reach a climaxthe climax of his political careerThe team’s 3–1 victory in the final provided a fitting climax to a great season.

2the most exciting part of a play, piece of music, etc. that usually happens near the endThe book’s powerful climax is the murder of Nancy by her lover Bill Sikes.See related entries:Elements of a play,Describing music

. The sense ‘culmination’ arose in the late 18th cent.Extra examplesIn a dramatic climax, our team lost by one goal.She found it hard to achieve a/​reach climax.The affair was brought to a climax when the chairman resigned.The climax came at the end of the second act of the play.The crisis reached its climax in the 1970s.The hero dies at the climax of the opera.The story gradually builds to a powerful climax.Yesterday marked the climax of the celebrations.Signing the peace agreement was the climax of his political career.The story builds up to a powerful climax with the murder of Nancy by her lover Bill Sikes.The team’s 3–1 victory in the final provided a fitting climax to a great season.